Milking-machine.



PATNTED JAN.14, 1908. D. T. SHARPLBS. MILKING MACHINE.

APPLICATION FILED DEO. 5K 1906.

ssHBETs-SHEBT 1.'

D. T. SHARPLBS.

MILKING MAGHINE.

4 APLIOATION FILED DBO. 5. 1906.

PATENTED JAN. 14, 1908.

s SHEETS-SHEET 2.

gtkmm.

No. 878,888. PATBNTED JAN. 14, 1908.4

D. T. SHARPLES.

MILKING MACHINE.

PPLIUATION FILED 1906. A DEU 5 S'SHEETS-SHEET 3.

DAVID 'rowivsENn snARPLEs, or weer c'iins'rsn, rsnnsvtvfinia; i

termine-MACHINE.

Specification of Letters ate/ti vecattivi.s'agirait. raices.

Application mea Detbet. nice. serai No. Seat24.

To all whm it may concern.'

Be it known that i, DAVID TOWNSEND SHARPLES, /a citizen of the UnitedStates, and a resident o`West Chester, in the county Y of Chester andState of Pennsylvania, have invented. certain new and useful Imrovements'in lviilking-Machines, of which t ie folthe novel features andcombinations being same, t

particularly pointed out in the claims.

Figure 1 is an elevation showing my coin- .,plete apparatus-suspended inoperative position from a fixed line of pipe forming a conduit for theactuating fluid, as compressed air. Fig. 2 is an enlarged elevation atright anglesto F 1, the tubular carrying-arm being shown in crosssectionon the'line 2-2 of said iigure and the direction ofJ/iew iiidicated bthe arrow. Fig. 3 is a plan ofthe lle vertical portion of thecarryingarin being broken away. Figs. 4, 5, 6, 7 and 8 illustrate indetail one of the double'teatpresses, the distributor attached thereto,and one of the cumulative-ly inflatable pads shown'separately. Figs. 9and 1() show indetail the reciprocator for imparting op osite verticalmovements to thetwo dou le teatresses. Fig. 11 is an enlarged sectionaview of the pulsator; there being indicated in connection therewith,diagrammaticaliy; the distributers of the respective )beat-presses, thereciprocator, and the com Inunioating conduits, whereby the severalcoperating movements are automatically effected, as required, bycompressed air or other actuating medium,

In'Fig. L represents an overhead ixed line of compressed air piping,having a ydepending branch B for each cow stall, withV a cut-ofi' valveand a suitable bearing C upon .which is removably suspended my milkingmechanism; this mechanism being attached 'as shown to a cari 'ing-armthe upper horizontal member 1 o which has its end 2 suitably seated `insaid fixed bearing C. 'lhis carrying-arm, as indicated, is, adapted toserve asahcondnit for the compressed cinto the attached milkingmechanism beneath the cow; its horizontal u per andlower metinbers l and3 respectiveiy, and the connecting 60 vertical ortion It toonesideoithecow, being tubular. To Yprovidefor 'adjnetablybalancing/the.weight "ofY the attached mech;v anism'beneath the c'ow the earryin -armportions are jointed together at 5, an :c on-4 55' nected by a balancingspring 6 so as to perf mit the milking organs to operate upon"-different cows at varying heights as required; the conduit beingpreferably made'continuous around the ble tubing?.

The lower horizontal meinber- 3 of the' carrying-arm is provided asshown with two teint-press members 10l and 11, on the adjacent outerends 12, 12 of which areadjust- 75.

ably mounted simiiar teat presses, each adapted as shown to engage twoteats. The tent-press member 10 is secured to the carryingariii at i4 insuch manner as to be vertically rigid therewith, though capable of gopivotal movement thereon in horizontal plane as indicated, for thepurpose of penv mitting the teat press carried thereby-*to be adjusted.laterally'. relative to. the''othcrtent press, as may be required/forditerent cows. 85

The other teat-piess member il is pivoted to the carrying-arm at i5 soas to permit of its being swung thereon in a vertical plane,

against a reacting spring 16.

Each teat press comprises a rigid casing 20 90 of rectangular formasshown and of a length sufficient to permit of its receiving two teats Iof any spacing; said casingbeing adjnstably mounted upon tlie end 120ieither teat-press' member 10 or 1i, by means of an .inverted 95- bail 21pivoted to thecasing at 22, and capable of rotary adjustiiient/on saidarm' end 12.

'lo provide for securing-an effective pressing action u ion the teats,itis' essential in the first place tl coml'iresscd at each recurrinnuaction; that this preliminary closureoi the teat beef-v fcctcd as nearthe iidder as practicable; and

that the remaining portion Aofthe teattba progressively compressed toyits extremityful l. so as to positively and freely dischargegtheV milk.ln latteni its heretofore to operato upon the teats y means ofHuid-inflated presses, this action has failed ofkbeingat.-

tained, as l have found by",fexperiment,' 119v mainly for this reason:That the movement of ythe compressing surface required toiprojoint 5 byalconnecting Ariem?? '70 iat the base of the teat be fully 100 ata,

duce a proper degree of compression of a beat, involves thence ofinflatable wall scc tions of too great diameter when inflated andsufficiently close to its base and sufficiently limited in extent, tomake further compress ing action upon thc teat practically effective indischarging the milk. An essential feaA ture there-fore of a practicallyoperative 'machine of this class, and a main feature of my invention,consists in providing an inflatable teat-press lining adapted to combinewith a sufficient toet-compressing movement when inflated, a properlocating of such pressure as above explainedg'the embodiment of suchfeature being indicated in detail in lfipgs. 4

'to s.

The tent-press shell or casing 2() as shown is provided with a series ofshelves or partitions projecting toward each other from the oppositeside walls. Between these shelves or partitions are provided separateinfiatable fingers, placed one above another, and each of which, asshown, is removablysecurcd therein and formed of laterally supperposedinflatable pads 26, 2o, ilo, united by eyelets 'Z7 affordingcommunicafion between them; so that when jointly inflated the unitedpadsle will each fend to assume a tubular form and thereby cnmulativelyproject from the side wall of the casing a distance equal to the snm oftheir diameters, While when deflated they will flat ten together betweenthe rigid shelves or imrtitions 25. These vertically snperposed. fingersthus form inflatable lining sections upon the oppositie side Walls ofthe casing, between which when deflated, the feats may be readilypassed, but which serve, when inflated, to closely compress the insertedfeats, theI ezpansion of' the fingers laterally, or their projectionfrom the fixed wall of' the cus-ing, being amply sufficient to effet-tfull compression. of the feats ntitwifhstanding the relu,-

tive narrowness of the fingers required to properly limit the extent ol'their grip upon the tea't. .fi suitable ii\ill -l)a ,is placed betweenthe opposing inflatable fingers, and removably secured to the top of"the casing so as to providt` for yreadily cleaningl and replacing thesame.

The inflatmg medium, as compressed air, is

suplilied to the several fingers or sections of'A the oppositeinflatable linings of each teat press, by means of a distributor deviccl) fixed to the end of the casing.V 'lhis device comprises, as shown, acylinder Ill, provided with a hollow piston and rod 3L?, 2&3 .throughwhich the compressed air is admitted above the piston, s hereafterdescribed, so as to depress the latter against the tension olI a longspiral spring" 34. This downward movement of the piston opens insuccession a series of cylinder ports corrcspontlingl in number with thelining. sections or fingers and respectively connected with the latterby the several paired conduits 37, 38, 39 and 4l), and connectinfl;`nipples through the casing w all into the' respective sections orfingers;

the distribution being thus effected, first to the upper fingers tocompress the base portions of' the inserted teats, and thereafter insuccession to the lower sections or fingers; each pair of sections or'fingers being inflated before the next lower cylinder port is opened.rlhe lowermost lining section or finger is provided with a conduitconnection 42, to a reciprocator device as hereafter described; and

the lower head of the distributer cylinder 31.

is provided with an exhaust` opening 44 hereafter referred to.

Fixed to the lower horizontl portion of the carrier arm is a pulsatordevice P and a reciprocator device' R. The latter domprises a. cylinder5() with opposite heads 51 and 52 connected respectively by conduits aandy b with the connections 42 of the lowerniost inflatable sections orfingers ofthe two teat presses and the port '35 therefor. Within Vthiscylinder is a double piston the spaced heads frand, 56 of which areconnected by a toothed" rod 57 \vliic lr i1nparts rocking movement to atransverse"crank shaft 58. 'lhis crank shaft is connected by'a rod 59 tothe vertically hinged tcat-press member 11 of the" carrying arm g andits rocking action serves to impart to the two toat presses reverserelative up and Vdown movements properly timed -to the alternatel'n'essing and releasing actions of said teat presses,A as hereafterreferred to.

ranged tandem, divided by an intermediate solid partition 72 havingoppositely extending hubs I73, 73, and opposite heads 74, 7,4 which aremounted in follow standards 75 and 7G on the tubular carrier arm 3; saidhollow standards serving, in connection with central passage-ways in thecylinder heads und their inner hubs 77, 77, to constantly supply com)resscd air to similar hollow pistons S() and Si in fthe respectivecylinders. Each ofY these pistons has borednds fitted to rido uponagpartition hub 73 and a cylinder-head hub '7 7 respectively, and. itsinter-Y mediate, compressed-air chamber is provided with similar wallopenings near oppf'of sito ends marked respectively 83 and 84 inpiston8f), and S5 and Soin pistonSl. Each of the cylinders 7() and 7l isprovided with two wall ports marked respectively 87I and Se 'in cy'linder 70, and S5) and 9() in cylinder 7l, which ports in each caseare alternately thrown into communication with their piston cham l er atopposite extremes of its move- An intermediate exhaust opening 601sprovided m the cylinder' 5l), and outlet conrhnts c and d, near clthe'rdifferent points of the eraseseach piston.

The communicating connections between pulsator cylinders, and to theteat-press `distributors D D and the reciprocator R, are indicateddiagrammatically in Eig. 11, and the cooperative arrangement of thewhole mechamsm will be 'made clear mainly by reference thereto; the delthe opposite end of tailed operation of. the parts indicated'rdiagrammatically, being borne in mind as previously described. f

With the ulsator pistons positioned as indicated in ig. 11 it will beseen that compressed air is being supplied from the chamer 82 of piston80, through ports 84 and 88 andconduit e, to the right hand distributerB; that the iston 82-38 in said distributer has been ful y depressed,all of the lingers or lining sections of the connected teat pressiniiated, and the supply of air carried therefrom through the conduit ainto the reciprocator R, where it has moved the reciprocator piston tothe left, thereby depressing' said right hand teat press while it is atthe same time compressing the teats. Referring now to the left hand teatpress and its distributer D, the iston of the latter is represented 'asraised a ovev the ports 35, so that all of the iingers or'liningsections have been deflated by exhausting through' the lower Lcylinderhead; thus permitting the upward 'movement of this teat press againstthe udder preliminary to a new pressing action, While the` active righthand teat press was being moved downward as reviously stated. It will benoticed that t'e pressure on the top of this left hand distributerpiston has been relieved so as to permit it to 'be thus raised above theOrts by it's s ring, because of the partial exaust from t e successivelining sections or fingers .which is eliected through the hollowdlilstributer piston-and-rod, the conduit f to t e o the pulsatorcylinder 70. Thel automatic operation of the ulsator to reversely ocrate the teat presses 1s as follows: It Will be noticed that the righthand end of the reciprocator cylinder, as indicated in Fig. 11,.is incommunication through conduit c with the outer end of thepulsator'cylinder 71 so as to delivercompressed air to `the latter andthereby move the piston-valve 8l from the position in which 1t is shown;said cylinder 71 being at the same time lexhausted through conduit d andthe reciprocator cylinder opening 60.

The piston-valve 8 1 bemg thus moved, ef-

fects a corresponding movement of the main piston-valve as follows: Thechamber S2 of pistonvalve- 81', is thrown into communiort87,-and'finally the exhaust opening.

cation, through port openings 85,89, and conduit g, with the left handend of the main pulsator cylinder 70, to move the piston` valve 8() 5the right hand end of said c linder being at the same time exhausted trough conduit h and ports and passageways 90, 93 and 92. Thepulsator-valve v80 being thus reversed in position from' that indicatedin Fig. 11, the reversedoperation of the respective teat presses, asheretofore described, is effected 5 the alternating movements being ofcourse re eated until the air supply is cutofll at comp etion of themilking o eration.

. Having thus fully described t e essential 'features of my invention inconnection with the preferred embodiment of the same indicated in thedrawings, l do not desire to unduly limit myself to, s eciiic mechanismwhich may be readily mo iiied, but:-

1. A fluid -actuated milking mechanism comprising a air of teat-presses.each rovided with-in atable wall sections and. uid distributerstherefor, a pulsator device arran ed to supply the iniiating' medium tosai( distributers alternately,'and a reciprocator device arranged to be'operated by said mediumafter its passage throu' h the wall sections,substantially as set forti.

ZL/A fluid actuated milking mechanism comprising a 1pair` ofteat-presses provided respectlve y withini'latable wall sections'andluid distributers, a carrying-arm for said presses having-a -verticallyswinging member to which one of them is attached, and pulsator andreciprocator devices onv said arm substantially as set forth.

3. In a fluid-actuated milk-ing mechanism the combination withinflatable teat-presses, of a pulsator comprisingl a mainiiuid-cylinderhaving separate valve-controlled orts con'miunicating respectively withsai( v`inflatable presses and with an exhaust, and a secondary valvedl.cylinder havin@r separate conduits communicating with saidintlatabflepresses and serving to control the main fluidcylinder substantially asset forth.

4. ln a Huid-actuated milking mechanism the combination withreciprocatively mounted inflatable teat-presses, of a pulsatorcomprising a'main fluid-cylinder having separate valve-controlled portscommunicating respectively with, said inflatable presses and with anexhaust, and a secondary valved cylinder having separate conduits'communicating with said iniiatable'pressc's and serving to' control themain fluid-cylinder, said conduits being intermediately connected to areciprocator device having a cut-cti piston arranged to simultaneouslyimpart relative reciprocating movement to the teatiresses.

5. In a fluid-operated milking mec anism,

a teat press having a casing provided with a side walldining comprisingaA plurality ofjinflatable pads `arranged side by side to form a singlepressing linger,

saiil pinls being inliiptg eil to cuniuliitivehv expand \\'hi ninflated.

6. ln ii llunl-nperiiled milking mei-linnisni, ii tent press hiiving iieasing proviileil i with ii side \\'iill lining comprising n. plurnliliiof communieiiting mlliitiihle. piuls nrriingeil sii'le h i sii'le tol'orm ii single. pressing lingerv sind piiils being inliipteil tocunniliitii'ely ex piinil when iniliiteil.

\7. ln ii lluiil-operiitnil milking vmei-linnism, a tent press having iieasing proviileil with a siile ii'iill lining iuiiile up ol. sepiirnte.lingo-r sections eiich comprisingf ii plurality of cuniuliitivnlliinlliil'iihle piiils.

S. ln ii lluiilsoperiiteil milking mcclnmism ii tent press lniving iicasing proviileil with opposite wiill linings einli of which is mail@ upol' si'xpnrposeil inlliitiilile linger see.- tions iinil 'ii(listiiouter lor thv 'inlliiting meiliuui whereby opposing sec-tions:ire jointly inlliiteil inl snecession l). ln ii lluiil-opiirnteil ism7ii tentprnsshiiringnen-sing proviileilifith oppositel mill liningsmiiile up olE iulliitiihle seitions eiioh seelion comprising :ipluralitr ol' cuiuulntivehr expiuisihle piuls iinil :iilistrihuter l'orthe iullnling meiliuin wherelijv Siiiil siintions :ire inile]ienilenlliinllzite( successively.

l0. `lun :i lluiil-operiileil milking meel :inism si tent press haivingiin inlliilzihle unil lining iiiliipteil to lnleriill' compress :uiinterposeil tent without inclosiug the saune :unl :i

milking mechilnremoviihle, milk-hug inliipleil to incluse thc l tentiinil ilelii'er the milk therel'roni.

l1. ln ii. milking mechanism the coiuoimr- Vmills I tion with :i tentpress having opposite iiiliipteil tn close togilher upon :in interposedtent without innlosing lhe siuuelv 'ol' :i milk hiig removiilil)Ploi-:iteil lielii'een suhstiiutiiill. :is sel. l'orl'li.

l2, ln zi. lluiil-opernteil milking mei'lninism n. teilt ness hiiving :icusiug proviileil with n Wall ining minle up ol inllnlnlile see.- tionseiiih. section oomprising :i plurnliti' oli (zumulzitivelfoxpiinsihlepiuls unil sively.

lil. An inllzitiihli teiil.piess lining comprising inlliitiihle. lingirsecll tion of which when expinnlml is greater than their width.'

i4. An iullntzihle teni-press lining comprising iulliitiihle lingersections the projection olI which' when expiinileil, is greater thantheir width, iiuil when collapsed is less than their width. f

l5. ln n. lluiil-opernteil milking.uiechzinism, n. tent press hiiving':i ciisiugproviileil with opposite mills hiiving spuiieil shelves,inllzitiinle piiils ir-iurieil ilistrilnilor ileviife l'or the inllnlingmeilixim -lixe l to one enil oli the cnsiug :unl haiiing vsopiiriitn'poils zirrnngeil in uuiununii'ulion sniil 'walls :i ilistrihutnr lorthe mlhiting iniiiluuu ii'hereoy` siuil 1 seetions nrc milepenilentljvinlliitefl succes-v on sniil shelves, iinil :i V

ln'ith the several piicls su'hstnntinllyas set i forth. l lil. ln :imilking mechanism a, tei`it-press l einri'iug-:irui having sepnriitepress-carrying l memliers one ol" which is iirrn-ngecl to swing in nhorizontal plane l'or lateral adjustment ol the presses, mul the. otherin n vertical phine iluriug the milking Operation.

1T. lu :i milking meelninism ii tent-press enrnvingiu'm having :ilinrizonliiilhv adjustiihle press-enrifi'ing memher and. :ii'v'ertiizally reeiproeiiteil press-eurrti'ing member.

ln n. milking mechanism a, tent-press ciiriying-inm having .fihorizontally adjustiihln presswiiinvmg meinher and n verticallySeimriite teilt presses iiiljustiihly mounted upon sind nieinlwrs.

1). in u. milking mechanism n. tciitspre-ss einTying-iirin hiiving :ipvoteil press-Carrying meiuher iirrimgeil to swing in ii verticalphi-nei, imil reeii'iroeii-ting meiins lor Said memhei earriiui by the,miiin arm iinil m'- rinigeilto operate. in unison with the teatpressiugmeiin's suhstiiuliiilly :is set lori-h.

2li. ln n. milking mechanism the 0.0mhiuzition n'iih ii lixeilziriu-lnfziring, of it tentpress ciu'ryingnirni suspenileil therefromand proriileil with :i vertically rigiil tent-press niemher nml iivertically reciprocating tentpress meniliei.

2l. ln ii milkingr mechanism the com hiniilion willi :i lixeiliu'unhmiring, ol a teatpi'ess ciuryiugmriu suspenileil therefrom undhorizon-r proviilml with u. verl." rullir rigiil Alint reeiprocnlingmomhefr, presses :iiljnstnhly monnteil upon sii'iil ineinhe'rs.

32. ln ii milking meehiinis'in the combina- :i spring-jointedeii-rryingarm suspended lheiel'rom iinil provii'leil with ii verticallyreeiprociiteiil press-inirrying member, undA lizillyniljustiihlememhe'i' und ii verticallyA iinil. sopiniite tent r rigiil teni-pressmemhei' innl :i vertieiilly 1'@ l lion with :i 'lixeil :irm suspensionhearing, nl'

l ciprociiling tent-press memhex.

l 23. lu :i lluiil-:n'luuleil milking mechnnl ism` the eomhiniiliouwilli ii Vlixinl conduit lniving im iiiiinsusiliension beining;V of iiifiui'yiligairin suspenileil therefrom, :mil milking orgzms :unloperating mechanism therefor mouuleil on sind iirm :mil ii-rriiugoil inuommuniiziilion with siiiil lixeil eonilui/l.

il. lu- :i lluiil-iictuiiieil milking meijhiiul ism. the. comhiunlionwith ii lixeil conduit lniving iin iirm suspension hearing, ol u.

ll'rom, iinil milking meelnuiism llierelnr mountedv on said iirm l :miliirriingeil in communication with siiiil 1.3. ln ii lluiil-iurluuleil'milking mechiini isiuI the. comhiniition with a. li.\'e(l.ConiluLthiiving un iiriu suspension hearing7 ot'nf eiirrying nrinsusspriug-joinleil eouiluilmilking' orga-ns iinil i penilnil thercliiomnml organs inni operating 'eperating mechanism thereforxinoljnted oneomrnunieating tlierethrugli said erm end with seid fixed conduit. l

26. in e uicleotuated milking median! ism the combination with fmedfconduit having en erin suspension bearing, ofl e carrying-arm suspendedtherefrom, inflate able tem-presses reciplooetiveiy mounted. on seiderm, and fluid-actueted devices on the iatter arranged in communioetionwith seid fixed conduit ond adapted to coperetively inflate andreciprocate Seid tea-tpresses. C

27. in e fluid-actuated milking mechanism the eo'inbiiiation with afixed conduit having an erm suspension `bearing, oi spring-j ointedcarrying erin suspended therefrein, inflatable tem-pressesreoiproeetively mounted on Seid arm, and iuidnotueted devices on thelatter arranged in communication With seid'xed conduit and adapted toeoperetiveiy inflate and reciprooeteseid tefei't-piesees.

28. vin n. uid-eetueted mi king medieneee l ism the Combination with econduit having; en. armi suspension bearing, of e ,spring-jointed'conduit carrying e suspension ynearing therefor, inietftbleteet-presses reeiyroeetively finiti-actuated devices on the( letter com#munioeting therethrough with said fixed conduit and adapted tocooperatively inflate and reciprocate seid telit-presses. l l '2% in, euid-aotufitedmilking mechl enisrn the combination with a fixed conduithaving en erm-suspension bearing, of a cerrying-arin suspendedtherefrom, and pro! vided with milking organs and operating mechanismtherefor, said arm havin springi jointed conduitmembers and alexibetubing around the pivoted connection.

in testimony whereof7 i affix my signature; in the presence of twowitnesses.

y DAVID 'IOWNISEND SHARPLES.

Witnesses H. B. CARLISLE;

G. a EAISEY.,

ymounted on seid erm, anni'

